The purpose of this Core is to provide efficient, quality-controlled, and cost-effective quantitation of gene expression by real-time PCR techniques to the investigators participating in this Program Project. The gene expression core will quantify hypothalamic neuropeptide expression for project by Rossetti, and fat-derived and cytokines for projects by Barzilai, Hawkins, Brownlee, and Shamoon. The quantitation of gene expression by real-time PCR will be centralized in a single facility and available to the investigators of this program. The personnel of this core will be responsible for running real time PCR and quality control testing of each experiment. They will also assist for the design of new speific primers. This core will be directed by Dr. Obici. Scheduling the priority for running tests will be decided by consent among the participants of the program.